Comparative Characterization of Chitosan/Gelatin/Geothermal Silica Biocomposites in Two-Dimensional Film and Three-Dimensional Scaffold Forms

Scaffold, a template resemble an extracellular matrix, contributes a necessary part in tissue engineering to accommodate the growth of cells. In the development of scaffold made from organic materials such as chitosan and gelatin, researchers have done various ways to modify its properties and one of them is by incorporate it with inorganic materials. This research explored the potential of silica derived from geothermal power plant waste as a biocomposite material for scaffold. Biocomposites with two-dimensional (2-D) film form were prepared by simple drying process at room temperature and ambient pressure, while three-dimensional (3-D) scaffold form were fabricated by freeze-drying. The obtained biocomposites were characterized by Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In addition, swelling and degradation tests were also performed on the films and scaffolds. The results showed that there are interactions between each component in chitosan/gelatin/geothermal silica biocomposites and the addition of geothermal silica decreases the swelling and degradation rates of the biocomposites. These results indicate that geothermal silica has a high potential to be used as an additive for controlling the physical properties of chitosan/gelatin scaffolds.